Best of Tanzania Safari
A Cultural and Educational Safari in Tanzania
9 nights / 10 days
There are many outstanding adventure travel destinations in Africa, but there is only one Tanzania. Here stretch the plains of the Serengeti; here shine the snows of Kilimanjaro; here, too, lies the mythic isle of Zanzibar. For anyone who has ever dream of Africa, those names are poetic invocations, calling up in the mind's eye all of the fabled attractions of the continent itself.
Tour Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive into Arusha. Karibu – Welcome in Kiswahili. We are warmly welcomed at the Arusha Airport and transferred to our Lodge. Arusha is considered to be the exact center-point between Cape Town and Cairo, the southern & northern extremes of the African Continent. Also from here we can enjoy the stunning view of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Overnight: SG Resort Lodge. (1 night)
Day 2: Arusha / Tarangire National Park (drive). After an early breakfast we leave (@ 08.00 am) for our first Safari experience, strait to Tarangire National Park. Once we reach the Park we will go for our morning Game Drive. Herds of up to 300 elephants scratch the dry river bed for underground streams, while migratory wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, impala, gazelle, hartebeest and eland crowd the shrinking lagoons.
It's the greatest concentration of wildlife outside the Serengeti ecosystem - a smorgasbord for predators – and the one place in Tanzania where dry-country antelope such as the stately fringe-eared oryx and peculiar long-necked gerenuk are regularly observed.
After our ‘picnic-style’ Lunch, we continue with the wildlife observation, since the swamps, tinged green year round, are the focus for 550 bird varieties, the most breeding species in one habitat anywhere in the world. Overnight: Tarangire Sopa Lodge (1 night). (B, L, D)
Day 3: Tarangire / Ngorongoro Highlands (drive). After a leisurely breakfast and en route game drive at Tarangire National Park, we’ll have lunch and an unforgettable visit to Mto wa Mbu - Masai Village. Here we’ll meet with the real Masai people, will observe their tribal life and maybe enjoy a short dancing / singing performance.
The ‘entrance fee’ to this Village it is actually a donation to the Chief of the Village and it is not included in our tour price. After this memorable Cultural experience, we proceed to the Great Rift Valley, to Ngorongoro. Overnight: Ngorongoro Wildlife Lode / Bouganvila Safari Lodge. (2 nights) (B, L, D)
Day 4: Ngorongoro Crater. This morning better prepare yourself for ‘Africa's Eden’: The Crater… Twelve miles wide, the Ngorongoro Crater is a home to the rare Black Rhino and has its own Soda Lake. The highest concentration of wild animals in the Crater area means that you are likely to see the ‘African Big Five’ in a short period of time.
As we descend 2,200 feet into the Crater, we’ll experience a thrilling day among Africa's Big Five: the Lion, the Elephant, the Buffalo, the Black Rhino and the Leopard. After a picnic lunch and a full day of game viewing, we will return to our lodge for dinner and overnight stay. (B, L, D)
Day 5: Ngorongoro / Serengeti National Park (drive). After breakfast we leave the Ngorongoro Highlands via Malanja and proceed to Olduvai Gorge, where you will visit the local Museum and have the chance to see a Masai Boma (or a family village), within Ngorongoro Conservation Area. After we enjoy our picnic lunch, en-route to Serengeti National Park we’ll continue with our game drive. Overnight: Seronera Wildlife Lodge or Lobo Wildlife Lodge. (2 nights) (B, L, D)
Day 6: Serengeti National Park. Today we begin exploring the famous Serengeti National Park. Serengeti National Park is undoubtedly the best-known wildlife sanctuary in the world, unequalled for its natural beauty and scientific value. With more than two million wildebeest, half a million Thomson's gazelle, and a quarter of a million zebra, it has the greatest concentration of plains game in Africa.
The wildebeest and zebra moreover form the star cast of a unique spectacular - the annual Serengeti migration. A unique combination of diverse habitats enables it to support more than 30 species of large herbivores and nearly 500 species of birds. Its landscape, originally formed by volcanic activity, has been sculptured by the concerted action of wind, rain and sun.
It now varies from open grass plains in the south, Savannah with scattered acacia trees in the center, hilly, wooded grassland in the north, to extensive woodland and black clay plains to the west. Small rivers, lakes and swamps are scattered throughout. In the southeast rise the great volcanic massifs and craters of the Ngorongoro Highlands. Each area has its own particular atmosphere and wildlife. (B, L, D)
Day 7: Serengeti National Park. Another full day spent to explore Serengeti National Park. In the open grass plains during the rainy months, from November to May, hundreds of thousands of wildebeest and Burchell's zebra congregate. The area is the starting point for one of the great wonders of the world: the Serengeti annual migration. Towards the end of May when the grass becomes dry and exhausted, the wildebeest start to mass in huge armies.
Eventually, after several dummy runs, the animals begin their trek in a column several miles long to the permanent waters in the north of the Park. After moving westwards, the migration divides by some uncanny instinct, one group turning northeast and the other due north. Once started, little stops the stampede: hundreds often drown at a time in the broad Mara river in the north. (B, L, D)
Day 8: Serengeti / Lake Manyara National Park (drive). From Serengeti National Park we drive this morning to another National Park, to Lake Manyara. As we drive, we cannot avoid the ‘en-route game drive’ and the picnic lunch. When we arrive here we check-in to our hotel. Overnight: Lake Manyara Hotel or Lake Manyara Tented Camp. (2 nights) (B, L, D)
Day 9: Lake Manyara National Park. After breakfast we’ll enjoy a full day Safari at Lake Manyara National Park. Lake Manayara is one of the most scenic parks that we will encounter on our journey in Tanzania, and it is situated on the base of the escarpment of the Great Rift Valley. Whilst driving up the rift wall, Lake Manyara appears behind us.
The view is breathtaking, as we take in this massive lake with it’s silver shimmer and surrounding vegetation. Like most Rift Valley lakes, the water is alkaline. This attracts vast flocks of flamingos, which form pink foam against a silver background of water.
There are numerous water birds in the area, including pelicans that waddle around next to short grasses on the shore of the lake. The park is a bird lover’s haven with a variety of local species inhabiting the forest and bush.
The best time to observe these birds is in the late afternoon and early morning. Animals also found in the area include zebra, wildebeest, waterbuck and warthog. Manayara is also known for its tree-climbing lions. These majestic animals find shelter in the branches of trees from the heat and biting flies.
There is a particular belt, which they frequent along the woodland, south of the Msasa River. These lions also have a peculiar specialization of killing buffalo. An adult buffalo weighs in the proximity of one and a half tons, being far larger than the average weight of an adult male lion. After our phenomenal experience, we’ll return to our Lodge. (B, L, D)
Day 10: Lake Manyara / Arusha (drive). After breakfast, we drive back to Arusha. This will end our short cultural journey and Safari, but we will take with us our long-lasting memories of what was a unique and outstanding wildlife experience. Our guide / driver will take us to the airport in time to reach our flight back home, or why not take a tour extension with us and fly to Zanzibar Island. (B, L)
End of our tour and services.
Tour Information:
Guaranteed Departures in 2008
Jan 11 & 25, Feb 08 & 22, Mar 07 & 21, Apr 04 & 25, May 02, 16 & 23, Jun 06 & 20, Jul 11 & 25, Aug 08 & 22, Sep 05 & 19, Oct 03 & 24, Nov 07 & 21, Dec 05 & 12.
* Tour sizes: minimum 02, max. 12 people.
* Tour Highlights and World Heritage Sites (WHS):
- Tarangire National Park
- Lake Manyara National Park
- The Ngorongoro Crater
- Serengeti National Park
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Tour prices for 2008
High season: USD: 2,325.00 / CAD: 2,440.00 - per person in double occupancy
Single supplement, USD: 605.00 / CAD: 635.00
Low season: USD: 2,190.00 / CAD: 2,300.00 – per person in double occupancy
Single supplement USD: 605.00 / CAD: 635.00
Price includes:
- Hotels / Lodges / as per itinerary or similar
- Meals as mentioned (B=Breakfast, L=lunch, D=Dinner)
- All game drives and transfers by jeeps (all window seats & pop-up roofs)
- Road taxes, parking fees, drivers overnight wages
- Services of local English-speaking professional Safari drivers cum guides
- Entrance fees at all Parks and Sites (except Masai Villages!!!)
Also see tour packages in:
Africa
Tanzania
Cultural Journey
Wildlife Viewing
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